The Tragedy of a Hero Series
by DJ Lyons
Summary: Skylar Darlington was just your average witch until she found T. M. Riddle's diary left behind by someone in class and decided to write in it. After that her life changed forever. This is the story of her life and the events that happen to lead her down a dark path. Find out where the darkness inside of her started and what her connection to The Dark Lord is. R
1. Yr1: The Tragedy of Fate

**Disclaimer:** This is for the ENTIRE story! I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER that wonderful idea belongs to J. K. Rowling! Furthermore AVPM or AVPS and any quotes from it are not my own ideas they belong to someone else! Also any songs used or mentioned in my works belong to their respective artists unless stated otherwise.

**Summary: **Part one of 'The Tragedy of a Hero' series. Skylar and Claire start their first year at Hogwarts. They make new friends and even some enemies, but things take a turn for the worst when they find a diary left behind in class and Skylar starts having dreams of a certain Dark Lord. Set in Chamber of Secrets. R&R.

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**The Tragedy of a Hero**

**Year One: Tragic Curiosity**

**Chapter One: The Tragedy of Fate**

In the north west of England is a town called Manchester and in an isolated field on the outskirts of town stood a large manor. Not everyone knew that this manor was there for it took a special kind of ability to be knowledgeable of it. To most the place where the manor stood would appear as though there was nothing there at all and anyone wandering close would suddenly forget where they were going. To those with the special ability to see the manor, it would appear to be gloomy with its red brick walls faded from age and vines growing around the tall iron fence guarding it.

Inside, the manor is full of life as a nice family of four lives there. Mr. and Mrs. Darlington are the proud parents of their twin daughters, Skylar and Claire, and none of them are part of the normal world. The normal world to the Darlington family is full of magic and wonder for they are witches and a wizard and they are proud of it. The Wizarding World was all that they knew and they liked it that way.

Mr. Darlington works for the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Games and Sports under a man named Ludo Bagman. He is a tall and lanky man with dark hair and gleaming green eyes.

Mrs. Darlington is short and has a bit of a gut. Her hair is long and brown and she has big brown eyes that show every bit of her emotions.

Their twin daughters are identical down to the last toe except for three small differences. They both have their mother's long flowing brown hair, though Skylar's is wavy and Claire's is straight as a board. They both are short for being only eleven years old and they are both athletically skinny. However, their eyes are different colors; Claire has their mother's eyes while Skylar has their father's. The final difference between them is that Claire is right handed while Skylar is left handed.

Now, in the Wizarding World, being eleven years old is very important because it means that you will soon be starting your magical education at one of the many magic schools located around the world, provided you have been accepted of course. This is what the Darlington family was waiting for on a chilly June morning when Mrs. Darlington was making breakfast, Mr. Darlington was reading _The Daily Prophet_, Claire was sleeping, and Skylar sat on her bed immersed in a book called _Men Who Love Dragons Too Much_ while waiting for her sister to wake up.

The twins once had separate rooms, but on their tenth birthday their mother announced they were to share a room in order to prepare for having to live in a dorm once they got into a magic school. Mrs. Darlington decorated the room according to what her dorm at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic had looked like. Each of the girl's beds was pushed along the far walls covered in pink bedding. A single bedside table stood next to each of the beds. There was a trunk at the foot of each of their beds, a single bookcase between them of which the first three shelves belonged to Skylar and the bottom three shelves belonged to Claire, and there was a single wardrobe across from the bookshelf that each of the girls shared.

Skylar didn't mind sharing a room with her sister, but she missed her room with all of her dragon action figures that would fly around the room and fight each other and her four bookshelves full of all the books she loved, but most of all she missed her queen sized bed that was made of cloud cushion. Skylar sighed as she thought of her room which was next to the room she was now in and dreamed that she had a wand to undo the magical lock her mother had put on the door. She was appalled by the pink walls around her and sore from the Hippogriff feathered bed she now slept on, but none the less she continued to read her book.

It was only when the smell of waffles came wafting up the stairs that Skylar became irritated with her sister's lie-in, so she climbed out of bed, replaced her book on the bookshelf and walked over to her sister's bed. She sighed deeply when she saw that Claire showed no signs of waking any time soon, but then she smiled mischievously as an idea formed in her head. She knew how to get her sister up and everything she'd need was in her trunk. She quickly opened the trunk and pulled out the worm hole stickers, invisible tarp, and wailing squids before walking to a place on the wall and ran her hand along until she found the small hole she had put to indicate that was where one of the worm hole stickers belonged and placed it there. She then ran to the other side of the wall and located the same hole before placing the second sticker over it. She smiled and shoved her arm through the wall, dropping the small pin she had in her hand to make sure that the stickers were working correctly. She then ducked her head into the room to see the glint of silver on the floor signifying that it was in fact working. Her mischievous smile widened as she finished setting her plan up.

Once everything was in place, Skylar stood outside of the room she shared with Claire and stuck her hand through the worm hole stickers before dropping the wailing squid which immediately burst into deafening screams for ten seconds. After the squid became quite she heard Claire moving about the room.

"Skylar! I'm goin' to flippin' murder you!" Claire screamed before marching from the room, but something odd happened to her as she walked over the threshold of the door into the hallway. Skylar had fastened the invisible tarp over their door so that anyone who walked through the door would become tangled in it and that someone was her sister Claire who now stood struggling to remove the invisible cloth. "Get this thing off of me before it ruins me 'air!" Claire wailed as she sent a glare to her sister who was leaning against the wall holding her stomach in laughter.

"W'at ees going on up 'ere?" Mrs. Darlington asked in her normal French accent as she made her way up the stairs to witness Claire seemingly struggling to free herself from air and Skylar laughing hysterically.

"Skylar's invisible tarp." Claire answered breathlessly as she was finding it hard to breathe from struggling and the fact that the tarp was blocking out any fresh air.

Mrs. Darlington gave her green eyed daughter a stern look before helping her brown eyed one from the cloth. "Skylar, 'ow many times 'ave I told you not to prank your sister like this?"

Skylar instantly stopped laughing at the hard edge in her mother's tone which signified she was in trouble, "Sorry Mum." She whispered while looking at the wood floor beneath her feet.

Mrs. Darlington shook her head, "No yew are not. If yew were yew would not continue to do zings like zis." She chastised as she easily pulled the invisible tarp off of Claire.

"Me 'air!" Claire shrieked before running through the door across from the room she shared with her sister which happened to be the restroom.

"Breakfast is ready." Mrs. Darlington said with a hard edge to Skylar before gently knocking on the bathroom door and kindly relaying the same message to Claire and walking off in the direction of the stairs.

Skylar sighed and gathered up the things she used to prank her sister, replacing them in her trunk before following her mother down to the dining room knowing that Mrs. Darlington was going to be upset with her for the remainder of the day.

The dining room was a large room occupied by a long cherry wood table in the center and a fireplace on the wall. The floors were the same wood as was in the rest of the house and the walls were a deep grey color that gave the room a depressing feel while the high chandelier lit by one hundred candles gave the room a spooky feeling as the light flickered across the walls casting odd shadows. The table was set with a big breakfast made up of bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and waffles which were the twin's personal favourite food. At the head of the table sat Mr. Darlington reading his newspaper and to his left sat Claire who had fixed her hair and was eagerly awaiting food. Skylar took the seat next to her sister as Mrs. Darlington began fixing plates starting with her own and ending with Skylar's.

Skylar immediately began chomping down on her bacon and eggs while she waited for her sister to finish with the syrup for her waffles which would take a moment since Claire liked to add something called Nutella to her waffles before drowning them in the syrup.

"What we doin' today Isabelle?" Mr. Darlington asked his wife with a smile since he wasn't working and it was rare for him to get an off day. He always told his children never to work under Mr. Bagman because they would be worked to the bone even when there was no magical event to plan.

Mrs. Darlington sighed irritably after finishing her bite of toast, "I 'ad 'oped that zee girl's acceptance letters to Beauxbatons would be 'ere by now so zat we could all go to Diagon Alley together, but zay are not 'ere so I suppose zit will be a day at 'ome dear."

Beauxbatons Academy of Magic had been the school that Mrs. Darlington attended to learn magic and her only desire was to see that her daughters attended the school as well.

Mr. Darlington shook his head at his wife and sat straight in his seat, "I thought we decided that they would be attendin' Hogwarts." He responded with frustration.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the school that Mr. Darlington attended and just like his wife he desired their daughters to attend the school he had graduated from.

Skylar rolled her eyes and concentrated on eating as she had heard this argument about a million times in the past year and there had yet to be a decision made. Mrs. Darlington would argue that they would learn to be proper pure blooded ladies at Beauxbatons while Mr. Darlington would argue that they would have more freedom to develop into great witches at Hogwarts. If either of the twins tried to voice their opinion on which school they should attend, they would immediately be shot down.

Skylar smiled faintly as she remembered telling her parents that she wanted to go to the Durmstrang Institute. That had made both of her parents go quite for a long moment and give her the most priceless look she had ever seen… of course the moment was short lived as they dove into another argument over which one was responsible for their daughter wanting to attend a magic school that taught The Dark Arts and wouldn't listen when Skylar tried to explain that she was only joking.

Skylar was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts as her sister stood and glared at her parents, "Over me dead body!" She snapped making Skylar wonder what she had missed. "I won't go to either of them because I'm goin' to Pigfarts!" Claire added in a matter of fact tone.

Skylar couldn't help but nearly choke on her mouthful of egg as she laughed at her sister's determination.

Pigfarts was a magical school the twins had invented when they were four with the imagination of a child. It was housed on Mars and kept secret from the rest of the magical community so that no unwanted visitors would be poking around since the only way to get there was a rocket ship.

"Pigfarts! Pigfarts!" Skylar chanted in a singsong voice as she remembered their drawing of Rumbleroar the magical talking lion who was the headmaster of the space based school.

Claire smiled widely at her sister before adding her part to the song. "Here I come!" She chanted in the same tone.

"Pigfarts! Pigfarts!" Skylar continued.

"Yum! Yum! Yum!" Claire finished before the two burst into fits of laughter.

Mrs. Darlington blinked at her daughters before turning to her husband with a rather perplexed look on her face, "Jean, do yew know vat Pigfarts is?"

Mr. Darlington thought for a moment before shaking his head, "I've never 'eard of it."

"Never 'eard of it?!" Claire screamed in shock before shaking her head and flopping back into her seat with her arms crossed. "How could've you never 'eard of it?!" She added before turning to her sister, "Can you believe that father's never 'eard of Pigfarts? It's only the greatest wizarding school in the galaxy! It's on Mars!"

"Anyway," Mrs. Darlington started, waving her hands dismissively at Claire as she always did when the twins expressed an interest in which school they were to attend, "Zis argument does not change our plans. Zee only zing that vill change zem is if yewr letters arrive soon." She informed the rest of her family before returning to her neglected food.

"Claire dear, clear zee table please." Mrs. Darlington ordered once everyone had eaten as much as they possibly could. "Skylar, yew get to wash pots." She added to her second daughter before she and Mr. Darlington swept out of the room still discussing which school their daughters were to attend.

Skylar sighed and put her head onto the table while Claire gathered the used dishes from it. "Don't we get a say in what school we go to?" She asked her sister with slight frustration because their parents weren't even considering what they wanted.

Claire shook her head as she wiped all of the food onto one plate, "Apparently not." She said with the same frustration, "And don't we have Loki to do our cleanin'?" She added in regards to the house elf their family owned.

Skylar looked up at her sister and shook her head, "D'you think that we should just pick a school for 'em? I'm tired of their arguin'…" she suggested ignoring the question about the family's house elf.

"Yes!" Claire said enthusiastically as a wide smile spread over her face, "I think Pigfarts or Beauxbatons." She added as she began to balance the dishes in her hands.

Skylar stood and smiled as well, though it wasn't as wide as her sisters. "I completely agree with Pigfarts."' She said keeping their joke ongoing, "But I think Hogwarts would be a better fit for me." She added as she walked into the kitchen to get started on washing the pots.

The kitchen was a large and rather silver looking. It looked more like is belonged in a five star restaurant rather than in someone's home.

"What?" she heard Claire scream from the other room in surprise and she could just imagine Claire's brown eyes going wide and her mouth open in a perfect O shape. "Hogwarts has really gone to the dogs." Claire added as she entered the room with her hands full of dishes. "Mum says that Muggle-borns 'ave taken it over because the 'eadmaster has some sort of fascination with them."

Skylar sighed and rolled her eyes, "Who cares who goes there? It's a huge castle!" She said as though the fact that the school was a castle justified its greatness. "There's so much to explore and all of those Muggle-borns would be extremely fun to prank!" Her green eyes sparkled at just the thought of being able to prank someone other than her family. "Besides the only thing you're goin' to learn at Beauxbatons is how to balance books on your 'ead and curtsy correctly. Who needs to learn that rubbish?"

Claire stopped walking towards the counters and gaped at her sister. "Any respectable Pure-Blooded lady needs to!" She snapped angrily before finally setting the pots on the counter next to the sink. With a sigh she turned to her sister, "We're not goin' to argue over this are we?" she asked, clearly not wanting to wind up like their parents, forever locked in this argument.

Skylar shook her head as she began to fill the sink with hot water and soap, "Of course we aren't, because I've got a great idea." She turned to Claire with a smile, "What if you went to Beauxbatons and I went to Hogwarts? That way everyone gets what they want." She wasn't too sure about being separated from her sister, but she also didn't see many other options for their situation.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Claire beamed as she pulled herself onto one of the empty counters. "Then mum and dad won't 'ave to fight anymore." She added in a hopeful tone as their mother's voice rang into the kitchen from the dining room.

"I do not vant my beautiful daughters to be 'Ogwarts girls!" She cried at her husband. "Yew fell in love vith me because I was a classy, glamorous, proper, Beauxbatons student, or did yew forget zat?"

"I 'aven't forgotten that." Mr. Darlington's determined voice responded, "I just think that they can be all of those things at Hogwarts as well."

"No, zey will turn out just like Narcissa Malfoy if zey go to 'Ogwarts and we all know-" Suddenly Mrs. Darlington stopped talking and squealed in delight. "Zee post is 'ere!" She yelled excitedly. "Girls yewr letters from Beauxbatons are 'ere come and read 'em!"

"There's letters from Hogwarts too!" Mr. Darlington added with equal excitement.

Without a second glance at the pots, Skylar eagerly walked with Claire out of the kitchen, "Mum, dad," She started as they entered the room where their parents were, "before we read those letters we 'ave summat to tell you."

"We made the decision about what school we're goin' to so that you'll stop fighting over it." Claire continued without giving their parents time to react to what her sister had said.

"I'm goin' to Hogwarts."

"And I'm goin' to Beauxbatons."

Both Mr. and Mrs. Darlington looked at their children with a bit of shock, but Mr. Darlington's face quickly turned into a smile while Mrs. Darlington's turned into a scowl. "Yew are _both _going to Beauxbatons and zat is final!" she shrieked before giving them each a pale pink and gold envelope. "Now read yewr letters so we know what to buy at Diagon Alley."

The second the letter reached Claire's hand she ripped it open and pulled out parchment that was identical to the envelope and began reading aloud.

"BEAUXBATONS ACADEMY of MAGIC

Headmistress: Madam Maxime

Dear Ms. Darlington,

We regret to inform you that you have been denied admittance to Beauxbatons at this time. We ask that you do not take this denial personal as we have discontinued the acceptance of any student that lives outside of our area.

Yours sincerely,

Lady Aria

Chief of Admissions."

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Witch, International Confed. of Wizards)

As Claire read the letter her excited smile quickly turned sad. She looked up at her mother when she had finished reading, "I can't go then?" She asked with a look on her face that said she was about to cry.

Mrs. Darlington looked furious as her slightly rounded face turned scarlet red, "Madam Maxime said zat she vould make an exception for zee two of you! I'm sendin' 'er an owl right now!" She snapped as she sat at the dining table and conjured some parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink before starting to write furiously.

"Well c'mon then, what do the Hogwarts letters say?" Mr. Darlington asked completely unfazed by the Beauxbatons rejection letter and held an off white envelope with green writing out to them.

Skylar smiled slightly as she took the Hogwarts letter from her father and opened it. She did just as her sister did and began to read the letter aloud.

"HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Darlington,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress."

Skylar turned to the second page and continued to read.

"UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)One plain pointed hat (black) for day wearOne pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart…"

Skylar shook her head and stopped reading, "There's like ten or so books by this Gilderoy Lockhart. And a list with a wand and stuff like that. Oh look! It says I can bring a pet! I want a cat!" she smiled widely at this as Mrs. Darlington finished her letter and attached it to the family barn owl named Prince.

"We will get yew a cat dear." She said in a slightly better mood. "Now, come on and we can go to Diagon Alley so yew can get zee things yew need for 'Ogwarts and Claire a vand. She will be going to Beauxbatons even if it means I 'ave to move back to France." She said with determination before walking up to the large fireplace and throwing a pinch of something into the flames which caused them to turn green and shoot high. "Come on now, yew kids know zee drill." She ordered as a very sad Claire climbed into the flames.

"Diagon Alley." Claire announced clearly.

"Sky dear, yew next!"

Skylar followed her sister's lead and closed her eyes as several fireplaces zoomed around her. The next stop would be Diagon Alley and Hogwarts!


	2. yr1: The Tragedy of Tricks

**The Tragedy of a Hero**

**Year One: Tragic Curiosity**

**Chapter One: The Tragedy of Tricks**

Diagon Alley is the center of the Wizarding World in England. It's the place where witches and wizards go to buy anything they need so it was only natural that this was the place the Darlington family would go for the twin's school supplies. Now, the last time the family went to Diagon Alley there were hardly ten witches walking its streets, but this time the streets were packed with hundreds of them all bustling about to get the things they need. It was a curious sight to watch all of them running to and fro in their brightly colored robes. Some of them looked familiar while others looked completely foreign and it was hard to see the nearby shops through the massive crowd. Sure, the tops of the tightly packed buildings were easy to see, but you couldn't tell what building was by the top of it.

So, once the rest of her family had arrived through one of the many fireplace entrances to the alley, Skylar pushed her way through a group of gossiping witches to discover that they were near one of her favorite shops.

_Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop _was one of the few shops where she could stock up on the things she would need to prank her family so she couldn't resist the wide smile that spread across her face.

"I need some more No-Heat Fireworks and my worm hole stickers are losing their power." She said absentmindedly as her feet pulled her in the direction of the shop and only stopped when a warm hand wrapped around her shoulder.

"I don't think so missy." Mrs. Darlington said as she pulled her daughter back towards their family. "If we have time I'll let you stop by, but only if you are good today." She narrowed her brown eyes, "That means no running off and no pranks on your sister."

Skylar sighed and looked at the joke shop longingly until it vanished behind the sea of people. She then turned to the rest of her family to find that they were discussing where everyone was to go. "I can pick up the girls' things for their potions class while I restock on our own supplies." Mr. Darlington said as he glanced at the Hogwarts list of supplies.

"And the girls can come with me to Twilfitt and Tatting's to get their robes while I get a new dress robe for that dinner party next month." Mrs. Darlington added with a smile at just the thought of dressing up. "We can meet back at Ollivander's in twenty minutes to get their wands."

"What about pets?" Skylar piped in remembering that her Hogwarts letter had said she would be able to bring a cat and she had always wanted a cat.

"We'll decide where to go after we meet up at Ollivander's." Mr. Darlington said with a smile before giving his wife a peck on the cheek and patting his girls on the head and disappearing into the ocean of bright colored robes. Within seconds his navy blue robes were absorbed by lime green, yellow, red, black, and all of the other colors known to the Wizarding World.

"Alright, come on girls." Mrs. Darlington ordered as she grabbed both of their hands resulting in a groan of disapproval from them which their mother ignored, "Twilfitt and Tatting's is this way." She said before pulling her young daughters through the crowded streets.

Twilfitt and Tatting's was a two story shop on the south side of Diagon Alley. The outside of it was a pale red brick that was kept cleaner than most of the other shops around it, and inside seemed quite the same way. The shop was one large room with walls covered in robes of all shapes and sizes for all different occasions. The floor was a pastel blue and looked as though it had just been put down and in the far corner stood a long counter with high pedestals behind it.

A young witch wearing bright pink robes stood behind the counter quietly sewing a green cloth with her wand, but, aside from her, the shop was empty. Most witches and wizards could not afford the more eloquent clothes of Twilfitt and Tatting's so they bought there robes from Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, but due to the high status of the Darlington family in the Wizarding World they could easily afford everything in the shop and more.

Skylar wrinkled her nose at the smell of rose extract that was much too strong as it started to give her quite the headache while Claire moved to look at a beautiful black gown. Mrs. Darlington walked over to the young witch and struck up a conversation, but Skylar suddenly found herself more interested in another witch who had just entered the shop.

The witch was tall and slim with pale skin that seemed to draw out her gleaming blue eyes. She was beautiful, really, and her long blonde hair flowed out around her black and gold robes which screamed that she had money. Of course she wouldn't be in Twilfitt and Tatting's if she didn't.

"Merlin would you look at that _hair_?!" Came Claire's hushed voice as she too watched the witch flutter about the shop. "I've never seen hair quite so beautiful before. I feel ashamed to even be in the room with hair that great! It's like I'm not worthy!" Claire continued.

Skylar's eyes drifted back to the door, as the bell that signaled it opening rung again. In entered a rather cold looking man with a pointed face and grey eyes that held little emotion. His skin was so pale that Skylar didn't notice where his hair started and his face ended for a moment. He too wore black and gold robes that screamed he was very rich and carried a walking stick with a snake head. He was flanked by a young boy with looked remarkably similar to him.

Claire gasped as she noticed the new additions to the shop. "It's like hair heaven in here!" She exclaimed to her sister. "Who do I have to kill to get hair as great as theirs? All of them… _Merlin that hair!"_

Skylar's eyes seemed to pop out of her head as she recognized the man before them. She quickly turned to her sister and smiled, "That's Lucius Malfoy! He works at the Ministry with dad, only he's got more influence. I've seen him in the papers that dad leaves around. He's one of the Governors for Hogwarts."

Claire gasped again as the man approached the woman and they began to talk quietly while the boy aimlessly walked around the shop. "Then that means that she is Narcissa Malfoy! Merlin I've always wanted to meet her! She's one of the top most fashionable people in the Wizarding World and who can blame her with hair and clothes like that?"

Suddenly, Mrs. Darlington appeared behind her daughters, "Come on girls we've got the things we need. Time to go and get your wands." She said cheerfully before once again grabbing the hands of her daughters while her purchases floated magically behind her. She began to lead them from the shop, but before she would take two steps Mrs. Malfoy stepped out in front of her.

"Isabelle, it's nice to see you again." The blonde woman said with a smile that didn't reach her cold eyes.

"Merlin, mum knows her!" Claire whispered to Skylar in excitement as she looked up at the woman with great admiration.

Mrs. Darlington smiled in response t the blonde, "Oh, hello Narcissa, I didn't see you enter the shop." She said kindly, though it was a fake kindness… that much Skylar could tell. "How've you been?

Skylar sighed and turned away from her mother as another conversation grabbed her interest.

"Yes Draco, we'll get your racing broom soon. We have a few more things to take care of first." Mr. Malfoy was saying to his son.

Skylar looked at the boy. He was no doubt the son of Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. He glanced around the shop, looking at various items curiously while a bored look rested on his face. He simply sighed in response to his father and moved to the other side of the stop.

Skylar shook her head and turned back to her mother. "Are these your girls?" Mrs. Malfoy was saying and Skylar sighed. She just wanted to get out of there, get her cat, restock on her supplies for her pranks, and go back home to wait for September 1st.

"What d'you say we leave mum to her old lady chatting and go explore?" She whispered to Claire who had yet to take her eyes off of what she no doubt deemed the fabulous woman in front of her.

Claire's admiration didn't stop her from shooting her sister a harsh look, "No. Mum said we're s'possed to stay with her." She said as defiantly as always before going back to her admiration of the blonde woman in front of her.

Skylar rolled her eyes. She should have expected as much from her sister. Claire always wanted to play by the rules. It drove Skylar mad. Well, if Claire didn't want to sneak away, that was fine. It wouldn't stop Skylar who quickly and quietly left the clothes shop behind and used the crowded streets to vanish quickly. She knew that her sister would tell on her and that her mother would be furious, but she didn't care. She hardly ever did.

It seemed like hours that she walked the familiar streets of Diagon Alley before finally making it to her favorite shop and slipping inside. It was quiet inside as everyone on the street seemed to be passing it by. Not even the old shopkeeper was at the counter.

Skylar walked around the shop until low voices at the back caught her attention. She stopped an isle before where the voices were coming from and listened.

"Come on Lee, it'll be fantastic!" A male voice said in an excited hush that made Skylar curious about what was going on.

"I said o Fred. We'll get banned from the shop for sure." A different male voice answered in a scared sort of hush that only increased Skylar's curiosity.

"He does have a point Fred. We don't want to get banned…" A third voice joined in.

There was a soft sigh before the first voice, Fred, answered. "Alright."

"Thank you!" The second voice, Lee, said with great relief.

"But he can do it on the street." Came the third voice.

"Have I ever told you two that I hate you?" Lee replied, his relief gone.

Skylar could hear them shuffling about before they rounded the aisle and entered the one she was on. The first thing she noticed was the identical twins with mischievous smiles on their faces, followed closely by another boy.

Skylar had never seen another pair of identical twins before, so she watched them closely. They were both tall and lanky, though they couldn't have been too much older than Skylar herself. They had stringy red hair, pale skin, and faces covered with freckles. They wore clothes that were obviously old which made Skylar feel out of place in her new sundress.

Behind them, the other boy looked nervous. No doubt he was Lee. He too was tall with dark skin and black hair that was in a strange fashion Skylar had never seen before.

One of the twins caught Skylar's eye and winked at her, "Enjoy the show." He said as the trio walked past her.

Skylar flushed. How long had he known she was listening to them? Still, she was curious about what they were planning to do and felt her feet moving to follow them. The streets outside the shop were still very crowded and already she had lost the boys. "Figures." She said with a sigh before making her way through the crowd to the potions shop she knew her father was at.

Mr. Darlington had just come out of the shop when Skylar broke through the crowd. He smiled warmly at his green eyed daughter, "What are you doing?" He asked before looking around behind her. "You didn't sneak off again did you?" He added with a curious but stern voice.

Skylar beamed up at her father, "Mum was talking to Mrs. Malfoy and I got bored so I decided to come find you." With any luck Mr. Darlington wouldn't be too upset and would defend her when Mrs. Darlington got upset.

"Narcissa Malfoy?" Mr. Darlington questioned with a grim look that made Skylar feel as though she shouldn't have said anything at all. She nodded. "Well come on, I'm sure she's waiting at Ollivander's for us." He said before grabbing Skylar's hand and leading her in the direction of the wand shop.

Just as they reached the shop the sky suddenly lit with rainbow colored fireworks that caused the crowds to stop and watch. Skylar managed to get a view between the crowd and saw the three boys from the joke shop dancing about with several other people and laughing loudly. No doubt this was the show they had been speaking about.

Mr. Darlington shook his head in disapproval, "Those kids shouldn't be allowed in public." He said as Mrs. Darlington and Claire joined them outside of the shop.

Mrs. Darlington look furious, "Skylar Darlington! What did you do?" She hissed as she motioned to the fireworks. "Playing pranks on your sister is one thing, but to sneak away and set off massive fireworks in the middle of Diagon –"

"Isabelle, relax." Mr. Darlington said as he gently grabbed his wife's shoulder, "Skylar had nothing to with this. She's been with me. She came to tell me you were talking to Narcissa. The fireworks are put on by some of the Weasleys'."

Mrs. Darlington's anger seemed to dissipate as she looked down at her green eyed daughter, "Forgive me Skylar, I jumped to conclusions, but you should not have run off without telling me." She apologized before ushering her family into the wand shop.

The shop was dimly lit and filled ith many rows of small boxes and shelves. "Good afternoon Mister Ollivander." Isabelle said with a smile.

Skylar wrinkled her nose as they walked closer to a man and the smell of moth balls became strong. It was coming from the old man. "I remember you." He said in a kind voice that reminded her of her granddad Stevie before he passed away the year before. "Twelve inches, oak with unicorn hair core." He added before smiling at Skylar and Claire. "I'm assuming these young girls are your daughters?" He asked, still talking to Mrs. Darlington.

Skylar sighed, ignoring the small talk between Mister Ollivander and her parents. She slowly walked over to a shelf filled with loose wands and was just about to pick one up when the row behind her suddenly exploded out. She ducked down and let out a small yelp of surprise.

"It won't be that one then." She heard Mister Ollivander say before turning to see him take a wand from Claire. She ran back to her family so not to miss anymore of the excitement. "I'll go and get another." The elder man said as he put the previous wand back in its box and disappeared behind a row of wands.

He came back a moment later holding another box, "This one is nine and three quarter's inch, sycamore wood with a Thestral tail hair core. It's springy and excellent for charms." He held the box out to Cliare.

Expectantly, Skylar watched as her sister flicked the wand. There seemed to be a wind that came from nowhere and circled Claire. A smile spread across the brown eyed girl's face. "Totally awesome!" she said in a singsong voice.

"Very well." Mister Ollivander said, drawing Skylar's attention back to him. "I believe I know the exact wand for you." He said kindly before walking over to the shelf of loose wands she had been looking at earlier.

He quickly returned, holding out the very wand Skylar was going to pick up. "I haven't sold a wand like this in quite a while." He said softly as he held it out to her. "It's made of walnut at thirteen inches long with a dragon heartstring core." He informed.

Hesitantly, Skylar reached out and took the wand. She didn't want to blow the entire shop up if something went wrong. "Go on and give it a nice flick." Mister Ollivander encouraged with a slight smile inclining the corners of his lips.

Skylar bit her bottom lip and reluctantly flicked the wand, making sure to point it away from anyone just in case. She felt an odd sensation where the smooth wood touched her and a warm wind circled around her. "Whoa!" She breathed in amazement.

After their parents paid for the wands, the family made its way through the other shops getting everything that was needed for their first year at school. On their way out of Diagon Alley, Mr. Darlington ducked into the pet shop and came out with a solid black cat for Skylar (She named him Orion) and a ferret for Claire (She named him Bouncer).

Once they had everything, the Darlington family returned to their manor to await the first of September.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Fifty points to the person who can guess who has a wand similar to Skylar's!


	3. Yr1: The Tragedy of Circumstance

**The Tragedy of a Hero**

**Year One: Tragic Curiosity**

**Chapter Three: The Tragedy of Circumstance**

Skylar looked up at the huge red and black train on Platform 9 ¾. The Hogwarts Express was set to take her and her sister to their new home in Scotland. Despite Claire's wish to go to school in France, the headmistress of Beauxbatons never responded to their mother's letters. So, now she was going to be attending Hogwarts with Skylar.

"Bye mum! By Dad!" Claire called as she gave her parents a tight hug.

Skylar smiled and hugged them as well, "Bye." She said, eager to get onto the train and away from the crowded platform.

Isabelle's brown eyes gleamed as she blinked away tears, "Goodbye Darlings." She said with a mix of sadness and pride in her soft French accent. "Take good care and don't talk to mud… er… strangers!"

Skylar rolled her eyes. _Don't talk to Mudbloods._ Her mother had been telling them that for weeks and frankly Skylar didn't understand or care.

"Be sure to write and let us know how your sorting goes." Jean said with a proud smile. He had been very excited that the girls were going to his Alma Matter and would possibly be in the same house he was, Slytherin.

"We will daddy." Claire said before giving her parents' one last hug. She grabbed her trolley and began walking towards the train.

Skylar was trailing next to her with her trolley as well. She smiled at the pet cage housing her cat Orion. "I'm so excited!" She told her sister happily as they managed to reach the back of the train where the trunks were being placed.

Claire smiled slightly, "At least we're going to school together." Her face said she was happy, but her voice left much to be desired.

Skylar sighed. "It makes it easier." She mumbled. She hated that the only good thing her sister could find about going to Hogwarts was that they would be going to the same school. Even so, she linked her arm with Claire's, "Together forever." She smiled widely.

Claire's smile brightened a bit, "Absolutely, where do you think we should sit?" she questioned as the stepped onto the train.

Skylar shrugged as she peered into a compartment, her eyes landing on two identical, red haired boys huddled over a trunk. She instantly recognized from her trip to Diagon Alley. "Wherever you want." She mumbled to her sister, causing one of the boys to notice her and wave.

"Come on, I think I see somewhere empty." Claire said as she pulled Skylar away by their still linked arms before she got the chance to wave back to the boy. Skylar wasn't sure if it was because Claire had noticed the boys or if it really was because she had seen an empty compartment.

Claire led her twin to a compartment not far from the twin boys which was, surprisingly, empty. "Perfect!" The brown eyed twin said as she took a seat leaving room for Skylar to sit by the window.

Just as Skylar had sat down the compartment door slid open and a young girl with red hair, pale skin, and freckles looked at them hopefully. "I… I was wondering if I might be able to sit with you… all the other compartments are full."

Claire smiled warmly, "Sure, come on in." She said brightly. It seemed she was getting into the spirit of finally going to school even if it wasn't the one she wanted to go to.

The girl smiled thankfully as she took her seat across from Skylar, "Thanks. I'm Ginny Weasley." She said holding out her hand.

Skylar and Claire looked at her oddly before Skylar reluctantly took her hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you. I'm Skylar Darlington."

"And I'm Claire…" Claire said before leaning close to her sister and whispering lowly, "Sky, what are you doing? We're not supposed to talk to the Weasley family… mum said so."

Skylar gave her sister a look that said she didn't care, "And she's not here, is she?" she whispered back before turning again to Ginny. "Is this your first year?"

Ginny looked between the twins curiously before nodding. "But I have family that goes here…" It was clear that the girl was uncomfortable and probably thought Skylar and Claire were talking bad about her when they were whispering.

Before anyone got the chance to speak again, the compartment door slid open and the three girls were greeted by another girl who looked around the same age with blonde hair and a dreamy look. "Um… I'm sorry. I thought… I'll find somewhere else." She said before starting to close the door.

"Wait!" Ginny said causing the girl to look at her oddly, "There's still room in here if you want…" she added unsurely.

The other girl smiled and nodded before taking her place in the compartment. "Thank you." She said brightly. "I'm Luna." She introduced herself.

The other three girls quickly introduced themselves before Claire pulled out _Hogwarts, A History_ and started reading. Skylar took to gazing out of the window while Luna and Ginny talked quietly. Skylar watched as the buildings and homes of London slowly changed into more natural scenery of pastures, trees, and distant mountains. She turned her eyes to the cloudy sky as she began to ponder what would go on once she arrived at Hogwarts. How would they be put into houses? She hoped that they wouldn't have to do any magic in front of the entire school… she hadn't practiced anything.

Idly she pushed her left hand into the pocket of her robe where her wand was and let her fingers trail over the smooth, walnut wood of her wand. If she was required to do any magic she hoped that the dragon heartstring core would help her. Dragons were her favorite magical creature after all and she didn't see it as a coincidence that the core of her wand had something to do with them. No, she saw it as fate and a good sign.

Suddenly, she sat up in her seat as what she was seeing registered in her mind. There was a blue flying car above the train. "Is that normal?" She asked, glancing back at the other girls in the compartment.

"Is what normal?" Ginny asked before glancing out of the window in search of whatever Skylar was talking about. "I don't see anything."

Skylar looked back out to see that the car was no longer there. She blinked, "What?" She shook her head, "Never mind…"

"Do either of you have any pets?" Claire asked suddenly, giving her sister an odd look.

Ginny shook her head while Luna responded verbally, "I've always wanted a Blibbering Humdinger."

Everyone in the compartment gave the blonde girl a strange look, but ignored the statement. "I have a ferret." Claire told the two with a proud smile.

"And I have a cat." Skylar added, though with less enthusiasm as her sister who seemed to be rubbing the fact that she had a pet in the girls' faces… well, that's the way Skylar saw it anyway.

"Which has attempted to kill my ferret more than once." Claire shot a glare at her sister.

Skylar simply shrugged, "It's not my fault. Orion likes to play and Binger is the only thing he has."

"His name is _Bouncer!"_ Claire said angrily since Skylar had been getting her ferret's name wrong since the day she got him.

Suddenly the compartment door slip open and the twin boys from Diagon Alley were standing there, "There you are Ginny!" One of the called urgently, without even noticing the other three girls. "Have you seen Ron and Harry? We can't find them anywhere?"

"Yeah, we don't think they came through the platform… you were the last one through right?" the other said before glancing at the twin girls and blonde in the compartment.

"Sorry Fred, George. I haven't seen them at all…" Ginny answered, her face turning scarlet.

Both boys sighed, "We'll keep searching… We're going to ask Neville if he's seen them." And just like that the male twins were gone.

"Who is missing?" Claire asked curiously causing Ginny's face to turn more red than her hair.

"My brother, Ron, and Harry." She answered simply before pulling out a journal and beginning to write in it.

Claire didn't say anything more as she went back to reading her book. Luna continued to stare dreamily at the ceiling while Skylar went back to looking out the window.

Once off the train, the Darlington twins made their way with the other first years and a giant man named Hagrid, across the lake to the large castle known as Hogwarts. An elder woman named Professor McGonagall had told them to wait in a rather small room for the sorting to start.

"I'm so nervous." Claire whispered to her sister as she liked arms with her. "I wonder what we'll have to do in the sorting…"

Skylar shifted so that her sister's arm link was comfortable. "I don't know…" She whispered back, "I just hope we don't have t perform magic…" She added as her left hand again found the smooth wand in the pocket of her robes.

"Oh, don't worry, there's no magic involved." Ginny said from beside the twins with a smile. "I have six brothers who have all done it, and only Fred and George have tried to convince me that it hurts and you have to do complex spells… you can't trust what they say half of the time." She explained.

Before either of the twins got the chance to reply, the door swung open and Professor McGonagall's commanding voice rang in the room "Alright children! Make a line two in a row and follow me." She called and the first years automatically obeyed. None of them wanted to see this professor angry, she was foul enough as it was.

"Let's get this over with Sky." Claire whispered as the twins got in line behind Ginny and a brown haired girl.

Skylar sighed and followed as the line started to move out of the room. Butterflies began to rise in her stomach as she came closer to finding out what this storing was all about. Silently she wished that her sister would cheer up and be as excited as herself, but she knew that it wouldn't happen. Claire wanted to go to Beauxbatons and didn't want anything to do with Hogwarts. Oddly Skylar felt that if Claire had gotten her way and went to Beauxbatons she wouldn't want anything to do with her sister either and that made her sad. It seemed like her twin was drifting away and-

"Oh my Wizarding God that is AMAZING!" Claire's voice called in awe, pulling Skylar from her thoughts and forcing her to look around the large room they had stepped into.

Amazing didn't even begin to cover the room… something more like spectacular or awe inspiring would be better. The entire room appeared to be lit by thousands of floating candles. There were four long tables each with tons of students sitting at them… no doubt for each house. There was another long table at the front of the hall where all of the professors sat and in front of that was a stool with an old wizard's hat.

Skylar smiled and instantly looked up she had to see the enchanted roof for herself. It was completely awesome! It showed the scene of a night sky complete with hundreds of stars, clouds and a thumbnail moon. Skylar couldn't help but let out an excited giggle as the group of first years walked to the front of the room.

"Look at that hair!" Claire whispered as they she looked up to an elder man with long silver hair and a long silver beard. "It's horrible!" She added with a wrinkled nose.

Skylar rolled her eyes, "Really Claire? Look at this amazing room with that amazing roof and all you think about is hair? I mean granted it is bad hair… but look at the candles… and the fire… Merlin this place is amazing!"

Claire was about to respond when she was suddenly cut off by singing… the old wizard's hat started singing.

_A thousand years or more ago_

_When I was newly sewn,_

_There lived four wizards of renown,_

_Whose names are still well known:_

_Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,_

_Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,_

_Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,_

_Shrewd Slytherin, from fen._

_They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,_

_They hatched a daring plan_

_To educate young sorcerers_

_Thus Hogwarts School began._

_Now each of these four founders_

_Formed their own house, for each_

_Did value different virtues_

_In the ones they had to teach._

_By Gryffindor, the bravest were_

_Prized far beyond the rest;_

_For Ravenclaw, the cleverest_

_Would always be the best;_

_For Hufflepuff, hard workers were_

_Most worthy of admission;_

_And power-hungry Slytherin_

_Loved those of great ambition._

_While still alive they did divide_

_Their favourites from the throng,_

_Yet how to pick the worthy ones_

_When they were dead and gone?_

_Twas Gryffindor who found the way,_

_He whipped me off his head_

_The founders put some brains in me_

_So I could choose instead!_

_Now slip me snug about your ears,_

_I've never yet been wrong,_

_I'll have a look inside your mind_

_And tell where you belong!_

As the song ended the four tables erupted in cheer, filling the room with happiness. Skylar smiled, but it didn't last long as she tried to figure out what they would have to do for the sorting and what exactly the hat meant when it said 'look inside your mind'.

Claire smiled slightly at her sister and looked like she was about to say something when Professor McGonagall moved to stand next to the hat with a large looking roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She called to the first years before unrolling her parchment. "Adland, Summer."

As a girl with bright blonde hair walked up to the stool, Claire leaned over to whisper in her sister's ear, "What if it sorts us into different houses?" She asked with worry in her brown eyes.

Skylar paused and thought on that for a second… did she want to be separated from her sister? They had never been separated for more than a couple of days before, but Skylar was getting used to the idea when it was decided that they would be going to different schools. At least now they were in the same school, but what would being in different houses mean?

_Hufflepuff!_ The hat yelled suddenly, pulling Skylar from her thoughts. The blonde girl looked disappointed, but quickly ran to the table that erupted in cheer.

Professor McGonagall called name after name and as she became closer to the D's Skylar and Claire became more nervous. Claire would be called up first, and then Skylar… but what if they were in different houses and what if neither of them was in their father's house, Slytherin? Would their father be angry about that?

With that thought in mind Skylar watched as Professor McGonagall called her sister's named and the brown eyed twin nervously walked up to the platform.

Two minutes passed and still Claire was sitting on the stool with the hat on her head. What could be taking so long? Was it really this hard to get sorted? Were the other sorting this long? Skylar hadn't paid much attention, she was too busy trying to figure out which house she would be in…

The sorting hat had said that Gryffindor's were brave… Skylar didn't think she was brave. If she was she would have stood up and said something the day their letters came and her mother wanted to move back to France. Ravenclaw's were clever… was Skylar clever? She didn't know… Hufflepuff's were hard workers… Skylar snorted at that. There was no way she could ever be considered a hard worker… she liked to procrastinate and relax too much for that. Slytherin's were power-hungry… Skylar was many things, but power-hungry wasn't one of them. Though she was very competitive and hated to lose… but that wasn't the same thing was it?

And what about Claire? Claire didn't really seem to fit into any of those categories… she was too quiet to be brave. Though she was quite clever when it came to some logic. She wasn't a hard worker either, but she did work harder than Skylar. And she was far from power-hungry… or course she always hated to have anything other than the best… Skylar didn't know if that was the same with magic or not since they hadn't really talked about it.

_SLYTHERIN!_ The hat yelled suddenly, pulling Skylar from her thoughts. The green eyed twin shook her head, "I guess it is the same with magic." She mumbled under her breath as she watched her twin quickly walk to the table that cheered and sit next to a blonde boy.

"Darlington, Skylar!" Professor McGonagall yelled as the room became silent once again.

"Well crud… here goes nothing." Skylar whispered as she walked up to the stool, giving Ginny a slight smile as she passed her.

Skylar took a deep breath as the sorting hat feel in place over her head and nearly screamed when it started to talk to her.

_Well, would you look what we have here? You're vastly different from your sister aren't you? You don't mind breaking the rules on a daily basis… but you have the same loyalty to family that she does. You're also very ambitious and competitive… hmmm. I see you're not sure if you want to be in the same house as your sister. You could be great on your own you know?_

Skylar swallowed. Being on her own didn't sound bad, but leaving her sister on her own… she didn't think Claire would survive.

_You are brave to deny your own wishes for your sister… you would do well in Gryffindor._

It was tempting to take the offer of Gryffindor, but she had to stay with her sister… Merlin only knew what would happen to Claire if they were separated.

_Very well then. I shall place you with your sister in SLYTHERIN!_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well there you have it. Skylar and Claire are in Slytherin. :) Sorry I didn't use a different song for the Sorting Hat... I didn't feel like making one up. :P Reviews are always welcome :D


	4. Yr1: The Tragedy of Slytherin

**The Tragedy of a Hero**

**Year One: Tragic Curiosity**

**Chapter Four: The Tragedy of Slytherin**

The welcome feast had been amazing. Skylar had enjoyed meeting some of her fellow housemates (though she felt a ting of sadness when Ginny Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor). She particularly enjoyed talking with a second year named Tracey Davis and a first year named Astoria Greengrass. However, there were members of Slytherin that she didn't like so much already… four names came to mind as she remembered the posh blonde who sat next to her sister. Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson all seemed rather rude as they informed Skylar and Claire of who to talk to and who not to talk to. The Weasley family was on the top of the 'who not to talk to' list. Skylar ignored them and focused on the amazing food while Claire seemed to take what they were saying to heart… probably because Mrs. Darlington had made several of the same suggestions to the girls.

When Skylar and Claire saw the Slytherin common room for the first time they couldn't help but be amazed by the fact that it was under the lake and sometimes they could see the giant squid through the windows. (The password was Pure-Blood which Skylar thought a bit offensive. Even though she did take pride in her blood heritage she didn't think it was fair to those students who had Muggle-blood.)

Skylar was thankful that she only had to share a dorm room with one other girl and that other girl was her sister. She wasn't too comfortable with sharing a room with someone she didn't know… although Astoria and a bushy haired girl shared the room next to them and across the hall was Tracey and Astoria's older sister Daphne.

The first day of classes went by quickly. First thing in the morning they had Charms taught by Professor Flitwick with Ravenclaw followed by Double Potions taught by Professor Snape (head of Slytherin house) with Gryffindor. Ginny was in that class and had a nice conversation with Skylar. Next was lunch where Skylar got to know Tracey a bit more and met her friend Theodore Knott. And finally, there was Double Herbology taught by Professor Sprout with Hufflepuff.

Both girls had a great deal of fun in Charms as Professor Flitwick was teaching them some simple wand movements and Astoria's wand caught her textbook on fire. Skylar looked through the book and found several spells that could be useful.

Double Potions seemed to drag on forever. Professor Snape spent the class laying down the ground rules of his class. Skylar thought she might enjoy the class better when they actually got to making potions as the most enjoyable part of the first day was her chat with Ginny Weasley before the professor walked in.

Double Herbology… Skylar could tell that she wasn't going to like that class from the second she saw where class was going to be held. In a greenhouse. Skylar had learned from helping her mother in their garden that she _hated _working with plants. Claire on the other hand, had inherited their mother's green thumb.

The next morning started off just like any other morning. Skylar woke up just before dawn, showered, and dressed all while her sister stayed in dream land waiting for Skylar to wake her up.

"I'm going to the common room." Skylar told her brown eyed sister once she was out of bed and groggily getting her things for the day.

"Mmmhmm." Was her reply as the green eyed sister slid from the room and made her way down the hallway to the large common room.

Skylar was shocked to discover that there was no one in the common room, but shook it off and took a seat by the fire where she started reading_ Voyages with Vampires_ to prepare for her first lesson of Defense Against the Dark Arts later that day. Though she found it hard to focus as she kept thinking about the class that came first. Flying. Skylar had been up on a broom with her father a few times, but she had never flown on her own… this would be a first for her and she hoped that she wouldn't make a fool of herself and fall of her broom.

She was imagining what it would be like to be the first girl allowed on the Slytherin Quidditch team when she realized that Claire was standing over her with a rather impatient look. "What?" Skylar asked as she shoved _Voyages with Vampires_ back into her bag.

Claire rolled her eyes, "What do you mean 'What?'? I've been standing here for two minutes already!" She snapped. "Honestly Sky, if you weren't my sister I would have left without you."

"Why didn't you just say something?" Skylar asked as she got to her feet, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

Before either girl got the chance to answer, Pansy Parkinson and a group of girls came giggling out of the dorms. They fell silent when they caught sight of the Darlington Twins. "Claire," Pansy started as the group made their way closer, "are you going to eat breakfast with us or with her?" she asked giving Skylar a pug-faced scowl.

"Why can't Sky eat with us too?" Claire asked curiously.

The girls behind Pansy started giggling while Pansy crossed her arms. "A little birdie told us that she was seen talking to that Blood-Traitor Ginny Weasley before her Potions class yesterday. You do remember what Draco said at the feast? Don't talk to Blood-Traitors like the Weasley family and don't talk to anyone with dirty blood like Tracey Davis. She's done both."

Claire looked between the group of girls and her sister before Skylar finally rolled her eyes. "Sit with them if you want." She said, trying to hide her disappointment that her sister would even consider sitting with those girls.

Much to Skylar's surprise, Claire linked arms with the green eyed girl. "I'm sitting with my sister." She said sternly before leading Skylar out of the common room and into the dungeon corridor.

The walk to the great hall was short and mostly silent as Skylar thought on the flying class. Once they got there they found the room was mostly full of students buzzing with laughter and talking as they continued to catch up on the events of summer. Both girls took seats somewhere in the middle of the Slytherin table and went straight for the waffles.

"What class do we have first?" Claire asked as she put a hazelnut spread on her waffles.

"Flying, then Defense Against the Dark Arts." Skylar replied before taking a bite of bacon.

"F-flying?" Claire asked with a grave expression as she let her forkful of waffle drop back into her plate with a clatter.

"What's the matter Darlington, scared to get on a broom?" A posh voice said from next to the green eyed twin and for the first time Skylar realized she had sat down next to Draco Malfoy. "Don't worry, I'm sure you won't break your arm after your first time up."

Claire turned scarlet as she pushed her plate away, clearly not hungry anymore. Skylar sighed, she had forgotten that her sister was afraid of heights… and Malfoy wasn't making matters better as he and his friends laughed and mimicked falling off of brooms.

Suddenly though, a loud piercing voice rang through the great hall and everyone else fell silent. "- STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET A HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE –"

Everyone turned their head and stood to try and see who got the howler. All Skylar could see was a head of red hair poking out from over the Gryffindor table and a boy with messy black hair sitting next to him.

"- LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED –"

Skylar swallowed. So that's who it was. Harry Potter and his friend… Ginny's older brother.

"-ABSOLUTELY DISGUTED – YOUR FATHER IS FACING AN INQUIARY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

With that the howler busted into flame. It was silent for a moment before everyone returned to what they were doing. Malfoy laughed relentlessly. "It's about time that Blood-Traitor Weasley got what he deserved! I hope they sack him for it!"

Skylar ignored the urge to say something nasty to Malfoy and went back to eating… though she wasn't eating much due to the excitement of flying in just a few minutes time.

Flying was held out in the courtyard where there were two rows of brooms lined up. While everyone waited for the instructor they stood about and talked amongst themselves. Since Slytherin had the class with Gryffindor, Skylar found herself wondering over to Ginny Weasley while Claire spoke with Astoria.

"Hi Ginny." Skylar said as she stood before the red haired girl and another Gryffindor girl with blonde hair.

Both went silent and Ginny gave a small smile. "What do you want?" The blonde girl asked with a wrinkled nose.

Skylar looked at her, shocked, but before she could say anything Ginny grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the crowd. "What's going on?" She asked as the red head glanced back at her house members who had oddly gone silent and were watching the duo closely.

Ginny looked grim, "Listen Skylar, I… I think you're a nice person… really I do, but well… it's just… you're Slytherin… and… I mean you got put there for a reason right?" She said, her face steadily growing a darker shade of crimson with each word. "I just think it would be better if we didn't talk anymore… you understand?" Before Skylar got the chance to reply, Ginny turned on her heel and went back to talk with the blonde girl.

Skylar sighed and walked back to the group of students. Just what was that all about? Yeah, Skylar was a Slytherin. So what? She was only in Slytherin because she had asked the Sorting Hat not to separate her and Claire…

"What was that about?" Claire asked as Skylar rejoined her sister.

"Nothing." The green eyed girl answered as Madam Hooch came gliding over to the group of first years.

Madam Hooch was an elder witch with short, grey hair and yellow eyes that reminded Skylar of a hawk. She wore a white shirt with a black tie (The Hogwarts Crest decorating it) under a cloak. She had a pair of goggles hanging loosely around her neck.

"Alright children!" she said, calling the class to order. I want you all to line up next to the brooms." She commanded and the students rushed to do so. Skylar found herself standing on the end with Claire next to her. She was glad to be on the end too, since it would have caused conflict for her to be near anyone on her left side as she was left handed where most people were right.

"Now, I want you to hold your hand over your broom and say 'Up'." Madam Hooch instructed and all of the students set about doing just that.

When Skylar held her hand over her broom, she only barely muttered the word when it flew into her hand. Claire's broom did just the same which was no surprise considering both girls had practiced this with their father's broom.

"Very good," Madam Hooch started once everyone had their brooms in hand. "Now, I want you all to mount your brooms. When I blow my whistle I want to kick off and hover for a moment before leaning forward and landing."

She blew her whistle and while most students, including Claire, barely made it off of the ground, Skylar found herself hovering about two feet in the air. Astoria Greengrass and the blonde girl that Ginny had been with before class were the only others who hovered just as high.

Claire was the first to land, followed by everyone else… though no one looked quite as pale or sick as Claire did. Skylar pitied her sister's fear of heights but didn't dwell on it since she was still reeling with excitement from being on a broom by herself for the first time.

The rest of class was spent with Madam Hooch explaining the safety rules of flying and Defense Against the Dark Arts was spent sitting bored since the professor didn't even bother showing up. Lunch came too quickly and Skylar found herself reeling with anger as she laid eyes on Ginny sitting at the Gryffindor table laughing with the blonde girl from Flying who gave her a dirty look.

Skylar rolled her eyes and took her seat at the Slytherin table across from her sister and next to a brute of a boy who appeared to have a permanent scowl on his face. Skylar ate in silence while thinking about what the Muggle Studies class would be like and only seemed to notice what was going on around her when the boy next to her flung his arm into her chest, knocking her to the floor.

"Hey! What's your prob- Merlin!" Skylar started to tell the boy off, but as she looked at his face she realized just what his problem was. Boils had risen over every visible part of his skin and he seemed to have lost control of his limbs.

Laughter came from the nearby Gryffindor table while Professor Snape swept over to the boy and picked up his goblet of pumpkin juice. "Boil potion." Said the professor with a dark look pointed at the Gryffindor table. "Come on Flint, I've got an antidote in my office." He said before grabbing the boy's arm and dragging him from the Great Hall.

"Bloody Slytherin got what he deserved." Skylar heard someone say as she got to her feet and retook her seat, eyeing her pumpkin juice closely, but not daring to take a drink.

"Who do you think would have done that?" Claire asked as she cautiously smelled her pumpkin juice.

"Those Weasley's will pay for that." Malfoy's angry and superior voice said from down the table and Skylar found him glaring at the twin boys sitting at the Gryffindor table.

Claire snorted, "No wonder mum told us to stay away from them." She said simply as Tracey took the open seat next to Skylar looking just as disgusted as Malfoy.

"Those two… they'll do anything to anyone as long as it's a Slytherin." She said grimly. "It's a wonder they haven't been expelled."

Skylar bit her bottom lip and simply nodded. She couldn't admit that if she knew how to make a boil potion she would have found it a nice prank… She looked back at the Gryffindor table and, not for the first time, she was silently wishing that she had taken the Sorting Hat up on its offer to put her in Gryffindor.

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**Author's Note:** Well that was sort of a filler chapter wasn't it? Not much really happened did it? It's also quite short... oh well, the next chapter will be better and have more relevance :) As always, reviews are welcome!


	5. Yr1: The Tragedy of Quidditch

**Author's Note:** Thanks so much for the reviews on the last chapter! They really do mean a lot! :) Don't worry, things will start to pick up in the story soon. :) For now, why don't we enjoy a bit about our favorite magical sport huh?

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**The Tragedy of a Hero**

**Year One: Tragic Curiosity**

**Chapter Five: The Tragedy of Quidditch**

The next few weeks passed by slowly, but as each day passed Skylar started to feel better about her house. She found herself making spending a lot of time with Astoria Greengrass and Claire as they seemed to have formed a sort of study group and would spend their nights in the common room working on homework or talking amongst themselves about events that happened in class. The others in Slytherin seemed to have backed off of berating Skylar and even Malfoy seemed almost nice to her.

It was a Friday night when the three girls sat at a table in the common room talking about events of the week… mostly about their Potion's essay on the effects and composition of a sleeping draft they would be making the next week. But, as more people piled into the common room, the air turned with excitement over the next day's Quidditch practice. Skylar sighed longingly as she watched several of the boys throwing a quaffle back and forth. She had become the best student in the Flying class and was already a week ahead in Madam Hooch's lessons.

Claire had been excused after the second day when she fainted and fell off her broom at six feet in the air. She now spent her flying lessons working on homework for other classes. "I bet they would let you on the team if they saw you fly." The brown eyed twin said as she followed her sister's longing gaze.

Skylar sighed and shook her head as she looked back at the other two. "Not a chance. Girls haven't ever been allowed on the Slytherin team." She informed before putting up her books, having finished her essay.

Astoria snorted, "Rubbish that is." She said glumly. "Daphne told me that they think girls can't play Quidditch."

Claire glared back at the boys, "Morons. If they knew what was good for them, they would let Skylar on the team. She's one of the best flyer's I've ever seen… not to mention our father was a Chaser for six years while he was here."

Astoria nodded, "She's a better flyer than any of them from what I hear… though, we're supposed to have a new Seeker this year. Flit's keeping it hushed on who it is though."

"How do you know so much about them?" Skylar asked, trying not to let a large grin plaster itself to her face as she was feeling quite good about herself.

"Daphne fancies Flint and tells me _everything_ she hears about him." Astoria answered as she too put her books away.

Skylar looked at the captain of the Quidditch team. Marcus Flint was a boy with the face of a troll, large teeth and shifty eyes. "How could _anyone_ fancy him?" she asked with a wrinkled nose.

Astoria shrugged, "My sister has strange taste in guys." She said simply.

"Hey," Claire said as she slammed her potion book closed, "I have an idea… why don't we go to the Quidditch field tomorrow while their practicing and try and show them what they're missing?" Unlike the other two at the table, Claire's essay wasn't even close to being done as they had to write a foot of parchment and there was barely three inches written on hers.

"But," Astoria started looking rather nervous, "first years aren't allowed to fly outside of class."

Claire rolled her eyes, "Stupid rule if you ask me." She said simply.

Skylar couldn't help but grin now, "You know," She said as she leaned back in her chair, "I've never been one for following rules."

Claire nodded in agreement, "Mum's always having to punish her for something or another."

Astoria shook her head and stood, gathering her books in her arms, "Well, if you're going to be breaking the rules, I want no part in it." She said as she started to walk towards the girls' dorm, but Skylar grabbed her arm.

"Alright, we won't break the rules. But, I want to watch the practice anyway. Come with us?" The green eyed girl looked hopeful.

"Alright." Astoria said with a sigh. "As long as you promise not to break any rules…"

Skylar beamed up at her, "We promise." Both she and Claire said at the same time.

"G'night then." The black haired girl said before continuing her trek to the girls' dorms.

Skylar found herself quite surprised when Claire woke her up the next morning. "Come on!" The brown eyed girl cried desperately as her green eyed counterpart pushed the covers away. "Flint and the others left for practice ten minutes ago!"

"Ho'd'ya'oh?" Skylar asked through a yawn as she tried to understand why Claire was awake before her when Skylar had always been the early riser.

"Because I got up early to work on my Potions essay and saw them leave." Claire answered with a frown as she pulled her sister to her feet, "Now get dressed while I go wake up Astoria."

Skylar dressed quickly after her sister left the room, her body becoming more responsive and her mind clearing of the fogginess of sleep. When she emerged from her room Pansy Parkinson was coming down the hall with Astoria's older sister. Skylar quickly ducked back into her room as she didn't want to have anything to do with them that morning.

"Well, Draco's told me all about it you know." Pansy's annoyingly high pitched voice said as the two walked closer. "Said something bad is gonna happen to Mudbloods and those that side with them this year."

"If he's told you all about it then you must know what's supposed to happen." Daphne answered smoothly as their footsteps stopped in front of the door next to Skylar and Claire's room.

"He didn't say _what_ was going to happen to them… just that something would. Personally I hope something happens to the entire Weasley family. They're nothing but a black mark on this school. My mum didn't even want me to come here when she found out they-" Pansy's voice cut off as a door closed signaling that the pair had gone into the room.

Skylar slipped back into the hall and shook her head in disgust. She quickly walked down the hall to the common room wondering if what Parkinson had said was true… if something bad was going to happen to Muggle-borns, but all thought of that left her when she stepped into the common room and was greeted by her sister and Astoria.

"Where _have_ you been?" Claire asked hurriedly.

"We're going to miss the practice!" Astoria added as both girls grabbed onto Skylar's arms and pulled her from the common room.

By the time the three girls made it to the Quidditch field the Slytherin team was already there… standing in the middle of the field with the Gryffindor team. The three girls stayed on the sidelines watching the encounter with great interest.

"I expect a museum would bid for them." A familiar, smooth voice rang in around the girls.

"Is that Malfoy?" Astoria asked looking between the twin girls and the Slytherin team.

"He must be the new Seeker." Skylar and Claire answered at the same time as a bossy, female voice reached their ears.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in. _They_ got in on pure talent."

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." Malfoy's voice answered and instantly there was an uproar in the Gryffindor team as they all moved to jump the posh blonde.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and one of the Gryffindor boys was hit with a flash of green light.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" the bossy voice asked.

Instead of answering the boy seemed to be vomiting. Skylar recognized the boy as the one who had received the howler. The Slytherin team was howling with laughter while the Gryffindors gathered around their fallen friend.

"Weasleys really aren't the brightest bunch are they?" Astoria asked as she tried not to laugh at the boy's misfortune.

"Let's go find somewhere to sit." Claire said as she watched the vomiting boy and two others leave the field. "I expect both teams are going to practice today."

Much to the girls' surprise, the Gryffindor team left the field and let the Slytherin's have free reign. Skylar watched with great interest while Astoria and Claire talked about their Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts homework that neither had started… Skylar had finished both and had the weekend free to do as she pleased.

The next day when Skylar woke up, she dressed quickly and made her way outside. She was glad that she had woken before her sister as when Claire was awake before her things just didn't seem right.

For a few hours Skylar wondered around the lake until finally she decided to see if she could get into the broom closet and fly for a few minutes. Much to her surprise, the broom closet was open. Skylar grabbed the first broom she saw which happened to be one of Slytherin's Nimbus two thousand and ones and ran to the Quidditch pitch.

The second she hit the field, she mounted the broom and flew high. Thankfully it was a very cloudy day and most of the field was hidden behind clouds. For several minutes Skylar simply flew in circles around both sides of the field, but stopped when she heard something not too far from where she was flying. It was the sound of air cutting as something really fast and really large was flying towards her.

Skylar looked in the direction that the sound was coming from, but due to the fact that she was surrounded by clouds, she could not see anything until the last minute when a rather large ball was about to hit her in the face. Acting as quickly as she could, Skylar flipped on her broom just in time for the ball to fly over her. The green eyed girl didn't have time to react to the ball as another, larger shape was coming towards her. She leaned forward on her broom and lowered just enough for a green blur to fly where she had just been.

Skylar stared after the shapes as she took it all it. The person flying on the broom had been someone she had seen before in the common room, sitting near her in breakfast, and most recently on the Quidditch field yesterday. Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Panic stuck Skylar as she realized that she had stolen one of the Slytherin broom and she moved quickly to land and run back to the castle with any luck that Flint hadn't seen her.

All hope that she had remained unseen was gone when she landed and Flint was standing not far from her, leaning on his broom with a quaffle under his arm and a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing out here first year?" He asked darkly.

Skylar avoided looking at him directly as she tried to hide the broom behind her, but seeing as the broom was taller than she was it was a frivolous attempt. "Nothing." She answered simply in the hope that Flint would just let her walk away.

Flit threw the quaffle into the air before catching it again, repeating this action as he spoke, "Didn't look like nothing to me." He eyed Skylar closely his eyes drifting over her appearance before resting on the broom held limply behind her. "Is that one of our brooms?" He asked as he let the quaffle fall to the ground and stepped forward dangerously.

Skylar froze, her eyes on the quaffle as it rolled to her feet, "It… I mean… I only wanted…" She let her feeble attempt at coming up with an excuse die and simply nodded.

"Well then," Flint started as Skylar still refused to look at him. "That is something isn't it? A first year with enough guts to steal one of our brooms."

Skylar was shocked to find that Flint's voice wasn't filled with anger but rather he seemed impressed. Slowly she looked up at him to discover he had a slight smile on his face. "You – you're not upset? I – I mean… I'm not supposed to –"

Flit laughed loudly then, "Upset? With the way you dodged that quaffle up there? I mean it was right on top of you, but you managed to get out of the way at the last second! Bloody impressive is what it is."

Skylar couldn't stop the smile spread on her face, "I… I only…" But the words wouldn't come. Skylar was speechless as she looked at the captain of the Quidditch team for her house and a small amount of hope rose in the pit of her stomach. If only she could show him more of how she flew… he might let her on the team!

"If girls were allowed on the Slytherin team I would give you a chance to get up there and show me more, but our sponsor would never allow it." Flint said as he reached out, "Now, if you give me the broom, I won't tell Draco you took it."

Skylar froze as she pulled the broom out from behind her and looked at it, "This is Malfoy's broom?"

Flint nodded, "I expect he'd be downright vicious if he knew a first year had stolen it."

Skylar quickly thrust the broom into Flint's waiting hand and turned on her heel and ran for the field. She was halfway to the castle before she slowed to a walk. What had she just done? She had stolen Draco Malfoy's broom and got caught by the captain of the team flying illegally… but then Flint said that he wouldn't tell Malfoy that she had taken the broom. Could she trust him on that? And what about when he said he would have given her a chance to try out for the team if their sponsor would have allowed it? Who was their sponsor?

"Hey!" A bright voice said as a shape joined Skylar, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Uh… hi." She said, glancing at whoever was next to her and was shocked to find Ginny Weasley.

"Listen… about what I said in Flying… well, I mean, I'm sure that you were put in Slytherin for a reason, but I shouldn't judge you just because of the house that you're in…" Ginny's face was redder than her hair and she seemed to be looking anywhere except at Skylar.

Anger bubbled in Skylar's gut, "No. You shouldn't." She said shortly, "But, I suppose that's how you Weasleys are isn't it? I mean you aren't very bright."

Ginny snapped her head to Skylar, her face now red in anger, "How dare you! You know nothing about me or my family!" She snapped.

Skylar snorted as all of the emotion she had been feeling since coming to Hogwarts raised in her, "I know enough don't I?" She snapped as she remembered the way Ginny's friend had laughed after Ginny told Skylar they shouldn't be friends and the way her twin brothers had laughed when they had put boils all over Flint and the way her other brother had cursed himself instead of Malfoy. "I mean you're all very barbaric if you ask me. The way you –" But Skylar was unable to finish what she was saying as she suddenly found Ginny's wand pointed at her face.

Skylar raised an eyebrow, expecting Ginny to say something or do something, but when that didn't happen she shook her head, "Bet you can't even think of a hex to curse me with." She said, "Though I doubt it would do much good, I mean look at the way your brother's jinx came out."

Ginny's face was slowly turning back to its pale color as her eyes stared, unblinkingly at Skylar. "You don't know anything." Ginny said before lowering her wand. "Not worth my time." She added.

Skylar rolled her eyes, "More like you aren't worth _my_ time." She said grimly.

Ginny suddenly became very still and her eyes turned foggy and without saying another word she turned on her heel and made her way across the grounds. Skylar watched her for a minute before returning on her own walk back into the castle to see if her sister and Astoria were done with their homework.

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**Author's Note:** Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Come on people reviews make the author happy and a happy author means more updates! Besides, I'm quite anxious about this chapter. Hearing what you all have to say about it will make me feel better I'm sure :)


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